Pencil sharpener for a tape measure

ABSTRACT

A pencil sharpener accessory for a tape measure comprising a body member having a bottom surface with a first predetermined configuration, a top surface with a second predetermined configuration, a cavity disposed in the body member and a recess in the top surface interconnecting the cavity with a periphery of the body member; a pencil sharpener disposed in the cavity communicating with the recess to enable sharpening a pencil; and an arrangement associated with the bottom surface and a predetermined surface of the tape measure to fasten the body member and, hence, the pencil sharpener, to the predetermined surface of the tape measure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a flexible, retractable tape measureand more particularly to a pencil sharpener which may be an accessory tothe tape measure, or provided integral with the tape measure at the timeof manufacture and sale of the tape measure.

It is well known in the construction, carpentry and woodworkingprofessions that when measuring pieces of material a pencil is used tomark the desired measurement as identified by the tape measure. Due tothe roughness of the material being measured, the lead in a pencil isworn down and must be frequently sharpened to obtain an accurate markfor the measurement of the material.

It has been the practice in the past to use either a pocket knife, or autility knife to sharpen the pencil which is very time consuming andcould be dangerous due to the sharpness of these knives.

The following utility and design U.S. patents relating to the subjectmatter of the present application has been uncovered in a search.Utility Patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 503,794; 4,744,150 and 5,040,256 and U.S.Pat. Nos. Des. 324 184; 339,536 and 341,545.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved pencilsharpener for a tape measure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pencil sharpeneraccessory that can be applied to a tape measure already on hand.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pencilsharpener for a tape measure that is provided integral with the tapemeasure at the point of manufacturing and/or sale of the tape measure.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of a pencilsharpener accessory for a tape measure comprising a body member having abottom surface with a first predetermined configuration, a top surfacewith a second predetermined configuration, and a cavity disposed in thebody member and a recess in the top surface interconnecting the cavitywith a periphery of the body member: a pencil sharpener disposed in thecavity communicating with the recess to enable sharpening a pencil; andmeans associated with the bottom surface and a predetermined surface ofthe tape measure to fasten the body member and, hence, the pencilsharpener, to the predetermined surface of the tape measure.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a pencilsharpener for a flexible, automatically retractable tape measurecomprising a housing for the tape measure having a pair of parallel,spaced walls and a wall disposed between and interconnecting the pair ofwalls; a body member having a bottom surface with a first predeterminedconfiguration integral with a selected one of the pair of walls, a topsurface with a second predetermined configuration, a cavity disposed inthe body member and a recess in the top surface interconnecting thecavity with a periphery of the body member; and a pencil sharpenerdisposed in the cavity communicating with the recess to enablesharpening a pencil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention willbecome more apparent by reference to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded side view of a tape measure and the pencilsharpener to be secured to or made integral with a tape measure inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the pencil sharpener accessory of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a back view of the pencil sharpener of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the pencil sharpener of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the pencil sharpener of FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, the pencil sharpener of the present inventioncan be integral with a tape measure at the time of manufacturing aflexible, automatically retractable tape measure 1, or can be added totape measure 1 as an accessory after the purchase of tape measure 1. Theword "integral" when employed herein and in the claims means belongingto or forming a part of a whole.

Tape measure 1 includes a housing having a pair of parallel, spacedwalls 2 and 3 and a wall 4 disposed between and interconnecting the pairof walls 2 and 3. The flexible, automatically retractable tape 5 iscoiled up in the housing and is spring loaded to retract into thehousing after a measurement is made.

The pencil sharpener, which may be provided on tape measure 1 at thetime of manufacture, or as an accessory for tape measure 1 after thetape measure 1 has been bought, includes a body member 6 having a bottomsurface 7 with a first predetermined configuration, illustrated in thedrawings to be circular, a top surface 8 with a second predeterminedconfiguration substantially as shown, a cavity 9 disposed in the bodymember 6 and a recess 10 in the top surface interconnecting the cavity 9with the periphery 11 of the body member 6.

The cavity 9, extending from the top surface 8 to the bottom surface 7,is filled with a pencil sharpener 12 so that it communicates with therecess 10 to enable sharpening a pencil. A means is provided associatedwith the bottom surface 7 to fasten the body member 6 to a selected oneof a pair of walls 2 and 3 on the tape measure 1. As illustrated thismeans includes a double backed foam tape adhesive, or a double sidedadhesive member 13.

When the pencil sharpener of the present invention is provided as anintegral part of tape measure 1 at the time of manufacture, the adhesivemember 13 can be used, or the body member 6 can be formed integral withthe selected one of the side walls 2 and 3.

The second predetermined configuration of the top surface 8 is such thatis rises a predetermined amount adjacent recess 10 from the periphery 11and then tapers or slopes down to the periphery of the body membersremote from the recess 10 substantially as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.The second predetermined configuration including a the predeterminedamount of rise and the taper or slopes is selected to provide acomfortable feel and zero interference in a hand of the user of the tapemeasure. Also, this second predetermined configuration allows for easyinsertion of the tape measure with the attached pencil sharpener into atypical construction tool belt.

While I have described above the principles of my invention inconnection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood thatthis description is made only by way of example and not as a limitationto the scope of my invention as set forth in the objects thereof and inthe accompanying claims.

I claim:
 1. A pencil sharpener accessory for a tape measure comprising:abody member having a bottom surface with a first predeterminedconfiguration, a top surface with a second predetermined configuration,a cavity disposed in said body member and a recess in said top surfaceinterconnecting said cavity with a periphery of said body member; apencil sharpener disposed in said cavity communicating with said recessto enable sharpening a pencil; and a double sided adhesive memberassociated with said bottom surface and a predetermined surface of saidtape measure to fasten said body member and, hence, said pencilsharpener, to said predetermined surface of said tape measure.
 2. Anaccessory according to claim 1, whereinsaid first predeterminedconfiguration is circular.
 3. An accessory according to claim 2,whereinsaid second predetermined configuration rises a predeterminedamount adjacent said recess from said periphery and slopes down to saidperiphery remote from said recess.
 4. An accessory according to claim 3,whereinsaid cavity extends from said bottom surface to said top surface.5. An accessory according to claim 1, whereinsaid second predeterminedconfiguration rises a predetermined amount adjacent said recess fromsaid periphery and slopes down to said periphery remote from saidrecess.
 6. An accessory according to claim 1, whereinsaid secondpredetermined configuration is selected to provide a comfortable feeland zero interference in a hand of a user of said tape measure and zerointerference when inserting into a tool belt.
 7. A combination pencilsharpener and tape measure comprising:a housing for said tape measurehaving a pair of parallel, spaced walls and a wall disposed between andinterconnecting said pair of walls; a body member having a bottomsurface with a first predetermined configuration integral with aselected one of said pair of walls, a top surface with a secondpredetermined configuration, a cavity disposed in said body member and arecess in said top surface interconnecting said cavity with a peripheryof said body member; and a pencil sharpener disposed in said cavitycommunicating with said recess to enable sharpening a pencil.
 8. Acombination according to claim 7, whereinsaid first predeterminedconfiguration is circular.
 9. A combination according to claim 8,whereinsaid second predetermined configuration rises a predeterminedamount adjacent said recess from said periphery and slopes down to saidperiphery remote from said recess.
 10. A combination according to claim9, whereinsaid cavity extends from said bottom surface to said topsurface.
 11. A combination according to claim 10, further includingadouble sided adhesive member to bond said bottom surface to saidselected one of said pair of walls to cause said body member to beintegral with said tape measure.
 12. A combination according to claim 7,further includinga double sided adhesive member to bond said bottomsurface to said selected one of said pair of walls to cause said bodymember to be integral with said tape measure.
 13. A combinationaccording to claim 7, whereinsaid second predetermined configurationrises a predetermined amount adjacent said recess from said peripheryand slopes down to said periphery remote from said recess.